Rocket Chronicles
by Iscalta
Summary: Unlike in the other games, the leader of the evil team is only seen once in 2nd Gen. I hate when Nintendo skips on potentially awesome characters, so I wrote my own idea. See if you can spot a quote from one of Jean Reno's best movies!  NOT GODZILLA!


Giovanni Focus:

When Giovanni came into the organization, Team Rocket was only in the planning stage. He had plenty of peons left over from Madame Boss, his mother, after she retired as Commander. However, he lacked trustworthy intermediates. Giovanni needed educated, wealthy, highborn executives who shared his vision. He had planned on making the boy Commander after himself, but at the last second he left the boy to live with his mother, a beautiful village woman whom he still loved. The child had grown to love the small town, but he never met his father, who watched over him still, with the Rocket Space Satellite. Giovanni secretly couldn't stand turning the boy against the world, making him a criminal. So, when Giovanni visited Jubilife Orphanage, he had little hopes. Then he saw the One. The perfect second.

He was probably ten years old, which suited Giovanni just fine. After all, his first son was only an infant, and he recently learned that he was father to another child, but it was only half-brother to his first. The second lady had been a prostitute, whom Giovanni had taken in for a night, in a very rare act of kindness. The woman repaid him in the only way she knew how. He pitied the child, whose future would be difficult. But he wasn't thinking about either child right now. He was only twenty-five, but he had it fixed in his mind to find a Second the first thing he did. Approaching the boy, Giovanni was startled to find a Zubat, Koffing, and Houndour sitting with him. "Perfect." whispered Giovanni. The Houndour was clearly closest to the boy, as it was the only one allowed to sit next to him. The other two were two yards to the rear, hovering over the pavement. The child picked his head up, and saw Giovanni. "Who are you?" he asked. His voice had a wierd quality to it, an almost inhuman smoothness. It could be used to manipulate Grunts easily. "My name is Giovanni. What's yours?"

The preeteen was silent for a time. Then, he spoke. "I don't know. The grownups call me Archer, but all the kids call me Lord Archer. I like it better that way." "Why "lord?" asked a curious Giovanni. "The grownups say I'm from a noble family. Also, someone left a bond of fifty million dollars with me when I came here. I was four." replied the boy. Giovanni was amazed. Here was a perfect candidate. Unfortunately, there was one other point Giovanni had hoped the child would fill. "Are there any others like you?" asked Giovanni. "Rich?" said the boy. "No, like you. I am the head of a criminal syndicate, and I need a few competent officers to maintain things when I am not present. They will also need new names. You would not be Archer. You would be... Apollo." The boy smiled, but appeared otherwise unfazed, or even bothered. He absently scratched the Houndour's head. "Well..." he began.

Ariana Focus:

Why was he so distant? Why couldn't he see? They were the same! These and other thoughts raced through Ariana's nine-year-old mind. She thought back to the first time she saw Archer.

It was really rainy. Oddish, Ekans, and Murkrow were with the other Pokemon, leaving her alone. She was scared. She never liked the nighttime, especially during the storms. She was talking now, proud of her new talent. She heard the matron babbling about a new kid. Ariana raced out her room, and slid down the Grand Staircase. Then, she saw Him. He couldn't have been more than a year older than her. His gray eyes met her own gray ones, but she saw his were storm-gray, as opposed to her cloud-gray. She had blushed. "Archer, and fifty million dollars." said the matron in disbelief. She was holding some papers, evidently left by the boy's previous guardians. A lesser grownup appeared. "Who is this?" she asked. "This boy has nothing but the name Archer, three Luxury Balls, and fifty million dollars." replied the matron. "What boy?" asked the nurse. He was gone. Another thunderclap. Ariana screamed, and began crying. Suddenly, two small arms enclosed her, and two small hands, one wearing a platinum ring with a diamond in it, clasped over her chest. Ariana slowly turned, and cried into the kid's shirt for another few minutes. Ariana looked, and, expecting the matron, found Archer, a few inches taller than her, his face not three inches from hers. "My, you seem to have a way with our now second-weathiest orphan, Archer." laughed the matron.

Another child, this one a two-year-old, came into the room. One hand left Ariana, and beckoned. The toddler inched to Archer as fast as he could. "His name is Prismal." said Ariana. She was aware of the new boy still holding her closely. The other arm left her, turning to the baby, and she immediately regretted speaking. From then, Ariana was bent on Archer. She would do all he did, all he asked. Once, he went missing for three days, and she cried uncontrollably until he reappeared, in the attic, with his Luxuries filled. Soon after, Ariana caught her three, hoping to strenghten her ties with Archer. He seemed to fluctuate between cold indifference, making Ariana miserable, off wondering how she had messed up, and warmer affectations, sometimes even holding her as he had the night they met. She had been three.

Yes, he was way smarter than her, easily outstripping even the best teachers the wealthy orphanage could afford. Yes, he had five million dollars over her, and had probably come from a much higher family. Yes, he seemed to get colder and more distant as the years passed, off doing important things, occasionally complying with Prismal's requests for a brilliant tactical plan to take the cookie jar. But, she was his match! Who else would be suitable? She had an awful scare when Karen came, who owned a female Houndour. That had been the WORST. Soon, however, she was adopted, and went to Hoenn. Karen got a family. Ariana got, or at least, got a preview, of a life with Archer. She heard his mystic voice, a strange accent that had always entranced her during the rare times that he actually spoke. "Ariana. Come, and bring your Pokemon." he called. She rose immediately, and rushed to gather her flock.

Giovanni Focus:

They were perfect. Wealthy, intelligent, aristocrats. Even better, the girl obviously was romantic about the boy. However, Giovanni sensed that not only did she have feelings for him, but her whole mentality centered around the boy. If he so instructed, she would be a terror. She would be a princess. All according to his whims. Unfortunately, Giovanni could find no return of affection in Apollo's voice or manner, but he treated the girl well, and did not exploit her need for him. The eight-year-old. Prismal, was renamed Proton. He also fulfilled the conditions of a future executive. He would always be inferior to Apollo, though. The oldest was a perfect leader.

FIFTEEN YEARS LATER

Athena Focus:

She was so nervous. Hopefully, that nameless idiot of an Executive could pull off a uniform lift for fifty thousand without a hitch. She was certain that Apollo could do it with the surplus company owner on his knees, begging for one twelfth of what they would pay due to a session with the Fool. She cared little about what she wore herself, as long as it pleased Apollo. In the dressing room, the tailing lady was busy with her tape measure. The height, the width, the front, the back. The shoes, the hem, the earrings, the cuffs. That was all that came out of the seamstress' mouth. Athena could have done it in ten seconds. Ask Apollo what he liked, and it would appear on Athena. Finally, she was told to go down to her underthings. She couldn't have blushed a deeper red, especially since He was in the room. However, Apollo nodded to Athena, and left, leaving a small part of her disappointed. However, before leaving, he whispered something in the seamstress' ear, and he tucked a crisp fifty in her apron pocket. Excited, the lady mumbled something walking over to Athena. "What did he say?" asked Athena, in a similar state. "My, that young man takes quite a fancy to you, miss." said the worker, making Athena's heart do a backflip. "Why?" she practically begged. "He requested you be made full dresses, and that they be white." said the lady. Athena felt both relieved and hopeless. She hated the miniskirts that the female peons wore, but never said anything to Apollo, lest he reprimand her for shirking the Team's standard uniform. She also wished that the worker had told her more romantic news than dress details. "You'll see." said the smiling older woman, as if reading her mind. The dresses were finished, and Athena redressed in her old brown affair. Then, she headed to the limosuine in which she, Apollo, Proton, and the Fool had arrived.

They weren't wearing their new things either. Athena went to sit across from Him, as she had on the trip out here. "No. Athena, you will sit with me in my car." He Said. Athena started. Apollo had his own car? Then Athena mentally slapped herself. Of course He had a private limo. What CEO would'nt? "Petrel, you and Proton will share this car." Apollo finished. The limo pulled out, with "half" of Team Rocket's executive power in it. Athena stole quick glances at Apollo, wondering if he saw the plainclothes peons and sniper vanguard Grunts situated around Apollo's position. Athena would risk no harm to Him. Too many people wanted Team Rocket stopped. If that meant killing the de facto leader, many would take the opportunity. No such luck would come while Athena was alive. Wherever he went, Athena always found an excuse to accompany him, after pelting the routes and locations with loyal bodyguards and informants. When nearly ffteen hundred people were working round the clock on Apollo's personal security, _outside_ Team Rocket's own guard force, overseen by Athena, it made the young Executive very hard to see, much less kill.

The car pulled up, and, unlike the smaller car's black, it was completely white, with Apollo's insignia, a star carrying Houndoom horns, in silver on the hood. Some Grunt driver got out, saluted his superior officers, and opened the door for them. Athena waited for Apollo to get in first, but he gently took her waist and nodded towards the car. Athena had to work hard not to lose it completely. He rarely deigned act in kindness toward anyone, much less touch them. She slowly took her seat, and Apollo got in, sitting on the right. "Where to, Boss?" asked the driver. "The airfield." snapped Apollo, as if the Driver had interrupted a key element of some plan or operation in Apollo's mind. The Grunt rapidly performed his task, afraid that Lord Apollo would reduce him to maintenance duty, or worse. Athena mentally recoiled from His sudden anger, and she must have pulled away physically as well, because Apollo turned to her. "You would not fail in any task. You have no need to pull away, unless there was something I do not see to be won or lost. Unless you wish it, you will stay with me." Athena immediately became furious with herself. She was not ready to tell Him how she felt, but she would die if she was sent from His side, and now it appeared she wanted to. "No, Apollo. I have no intention of going to another of our bases." she finally squeezed out, in a level tone. This was insane. But no one could find out about her love for Him. Life would be unendurable.

They finally arrived at the airfield. Apollo left to redress, and Athena went to her own room for the same purpose. Some loyal underlings, not friends but something similar to handmaidens, dressed Athena. They gasped when all was done. Athena had white leather boots on, along with a white dress-trenchcoat thing. She loved it. White gloves came up to her elbows, but the arms of the dress ended at the wrists. Vileplume-flower earrings went in next, complete with ruby-and-diamond petals filling in a silver frame. Athena stared at herself in the mirror. She was ecstatic. The others left her, and Athena headed out soon after, toward the Hangar.

Some of the Grunts simply stared at her. Some females did not see, but were feverishly discussing methods on how to catch Apollo's eye. Athena almost fainted when she noticed Him staring intently at them. One of them must have seen him looking, because they all began giggling. Immediately, Athena understood the romantic implications of her apparel. All the people, including Proton and the Idiot, were wearing black, except for herself and Apollo, who were wearing white. Then, Apollo turned his head to Athena. For the first time, Apollo looked dumbstruck. Not chess-dumbstruck, like when an opponent makes a difficult-to-block move, but like when you see something that absolutely astounds you. Athena tried to look modest, but it only got worse when the giggling Grunts saw what He was staring at. They looked horrified, similar to when a girl flirts with a boy, and then realizes the boy's girlfirend is ten feet away. "Lady Athena, loyal supporters." said a friend-oid happily. Apollo shook off what held him, and gave a notice that some of the Rocket higer-ups would attend a dinner event hosted by the SPEP, Society for the Protection of Endangered Pokemon. He then retired to his penthouse in the complex nearby. Athena organized the Grunts. "Those who are invited will recieve an invitation in their coming briefings. That is all." She left also.

Athena let her secure facade fall as soon as she got into her room. Hastily locking her door, she sped to the bathroom, and began sobbing. She couldn't stand being with him so often, unable to touch him, tell him, kiss him. She missed him more than anything, but she had never gone a day without seeing her Apollo. The tears kept coming. She'd rather face a night-long thunderstorm than this torment. Suddenly, two arms gently enclosed her, hands clasping at her waist. Athena turned, and she was Ariana again, weeping not from fear, but from heartbreak, so much worse. She was Ariana again, crying into the matron's dress. Then, it hit her. It had not been the matron at the orphanage. It had not been the matron with Karen. With a dawning sense of horror, she slowly looked up. Apollo's face, devoid of emotion. Then, he spoke, in that voice that transfixed her still. "Your emotions are not in check. You have minimal self-control. It has been so since the storm, apparently." He released her. "You will move to the Johto region, and continue our operations there. I request that you not contact me directly, but send regular reports." he left. Athena slowly sank to her knees, now too far-gone for tears. Instead, she held her hands up to her face, her humanity dying in agony.

The Johto region proved a fertile ground for a new ant-hive. Over the next weeks, the Johto Grunts looked on the Executive with politeness, then apprehension, then subconsious fear. The day it hit the fan, the day the bowl was empty, was when some Grunts found a blue-haired teenager snaking around the Mahogany Hideout. "Who sent you?" asked Athena. The trainer was silent. Athena brooded for a moment. Then, she stood. The girl tried to go for a Poke Ball. Athena's hand caught the girl by the throat, and held her aloft. Athena squeezed. "Who sent you?" she asked casually. The girl was soon bluer than her hair, tears in her eyes as she tried to breathe. Then, the teenager went still, and her hand made one last attempt at her belt, brushing a ball. After another few seconds, Athena dropped the body. She turned. Proton was staring at her, in absolute horror. "What do you want?" she spat. He rushed over to the girl, vainly trying to revive her. "She's... dead..." he whispered. "So? One less idealistic brat." snapped Athena. He turned to her. "I will inform Apollo of your atrocity." he said coldly. "We may be thieves, but killing is wrong." At this, Athena threw back her head and laughed, a terrifying, tragic cackle.

Proton Focus:

Proton activated the holo-screen through a haze of sadness and anger. "Hello, Proton. What do you want?" asked the Executive. "It's Athena." Proton replied. A shadow crossed Apollo's face, but only for a second. "What's wrong with her?" questioned Apollo. "Well, she killed a tennage girl who infiltrated our base in Mahogany. To put it bluntly, she's gone totally insane." Apollo was silent. Then, he spoke as if relieved. "Oh. Never mind. I thought it was something important." Proton was stunned. This was _murder. _It could not be allowed! "What about the girl's family?" asked Proton. "Surely they will come looking for her?" Again, Apollo was silent for a while. "Bring her in." "Who, the body?" "No, Athena. Also, after you have done this, clear out all other team members. I want to talk to her alone." Proton nodded. He exited, then found Athena sitting across from the felled girl, now lying on a table, with a white sheet over her. "Apollo wants to talk to you." said Proton colorlessly. Athena picked her head up, looking as if she had found the boss in front of her instead of himself. "Why?" she asked, barely keeping her excitement contained. "I have no idea. Just go. It will be only you and him, he had ordered all Grunts leave." Athena actually squeaked, and bolted to the holo room. "Hopefully, he will leave you in some asylum somewhere. Good riddance." said Proton under his breath.

Athena Focus:

Athena saw Him in the same white suit she had left him in. "You called?" she said, trying to keep her tone level. "I understand you killed a young trainer." "Yes." said Athena without an ounce of contrition. "Proton had brought forth the notion that her family will soon come looking for her." Athena nodded, clueless. "Therefore, you must go and..._pacify_ these people. Athena stared. "Are you asking me to kill more people?" she blurted. "Yes." he responded. "Since you find it so easy, I would have you use your...talent in the future as well, if you chose to take the missions." An assassin. That was what he wanted. The other Rockets were too spineless, Proton too idealistic, and Apollo too busy. But _she_ could do it, performing a unique service, making her invaluable to Apollo. "The house is in New Bark Town. I would prefer they..._disappear_ as opposed to die, at least as far as the media is concerned." he said. Athena nodded, and left, a smile curving her mouth. He was a demon. A fiend. But she would help this handsome devil.

Gold Focus:

The knock came late, after another few hours of comforting Crystal's mom. Gold rose, walked past Nova, his Typhlosion, and opened the door. A purple blur flew towards him, and knocked him aside. Nova went berserk, and threw a fireball at the door, but missed. While she was busy aiding Gold, Nova's enemy rushed the living room, containing Crystal's mom. Gold came to, awakened by an awful scream. He ran to the living room, trying to help his friend's mom, when he saw them. A huge Arbok, holding her by the neck, its dripping teeth sinking into her shoulder, then her neck, then her side. The monstrous snake threw her aside, and made to escape. Nova fired one last stream of heat after it, and burned it badly. However, when Gold raced out, clutching his friend's dying mom, yelling for help, there was no snake. And no Trainer. Soon, the woman went still. Gold sat in disbelief. Then, he saw a metal fragment in the grass. A red R. He brushed away the tears, and pulled out a phone. It scrolled down to Silver, his only equal, whose Feraligatr was as fearsome as he was brutal. Silver also hated Rockets, and his reptilian juggernaut was somewhat of a legend among team's Grunts, who often found only limbs or digits of their comrades. Gold would need their help. He would fight terror with terror.

Athena Focus:

Apollo came back into view, soon ater she returned from her trip. "The girl's only relative is dead." said Athena proudly. Apollo looked on her with something akin to affection, as if she was a friend he had not seen in some time. "Alright. You must now go to Goldenrod's Radio Tower." he smiled. "Conact me when you arrive." he finished. The screen went dark. Athena hurried off to the airfield, and a private jet soon had her in Goldenrod City. Soon, she was outside the elevator to the observation deck, which held another screen. On her way up, she heard a couple loud thumps below, but dismissed it as nothing.

Silver Focus:

It had been so simple. Clearing out the Mahogany Hideout had been a piece of cake, or, in Brutus' case, a big raw steak. Silver suspected that Team Rocket would need a small country to fill their losses. And a lot of body bags. Brutus had left few intact bodies, but even a nine-foot behemoth such as Brutus had to stop eating eventually. Then, Silver found her body. After bawling his eyes out at the loss of his friend, and gently removing her Poke Balls, he brushed his long, red hair out of his face, and called Gold, whom he suspected had a thing for Crystal. "Hi. It's me. Uh, yeah, we're OK. What? Slabs of monster-chow. And, uh, Gold, man, I have some bad news."

Gold Focus:

He dropped the phone. He cried. He screamed. He sat in silence. Nothing made her come back. "Alright, you rotting bleeders, you want a war, you got a war." He brought out Nova. "Listen. I need you to do something for me." Soon, Nova brought Silver to her master. Eyeing Brutus with a sense of curiosity, Nova retreated behind her human companion. "I have a plan. We'll take down Team Rocket, but you need to understand that we might not walk out of that tower kicking. I don't have any real reason to keep going, but you might have someone somewhere else. If you don't want a part in this, I get it." Silver didn't move. "Ok, here's what we'll do. Got her Meganium, Mana? Good."

Athena Focus:

She walked out to touch the glass. The tower was two hundred feet above the ground, but she had no fear of heights. She stared around for the next screen. "Quite a view, isn't it?" said a voice. Whirling around, she found not a screen, but Apollo himself, smiling at her. She longed to run at him, to have him embrace her, but she knew better now. She had the scars to prove it. "How are you?" he asked, in a softer tone. "As well as can be expected, Apollo." she answered, smiling herself. He walked towards her, and she turned back to the window. Soon, he had his arms around her, and began rocking her side-to-side, very slowly. She could endure no more, and gently kissed him on the cheek. Without looking at his reaction, she turned her gaze back towards the window. For a few moments of her terrible life, Athena was truly happy. "Hello, hello, hello." said a new voice. The couple turned, Apollo keeping Athena behind him. Two boys were standing in front of the elevator. Athena gasped. "I know you!" she cried. "You're Giovanni's s-" "QUIET!" he roared suddenly, startling her. "I don't want to hear it. I don't want a part of your pathetic Team, except the edible ones." Then, a truly massive Feraligatr came forth out of the shadows, followed by a Meganium that would not break its stare at Athena.

Silver Focus:

There they were. Crystal's killers. Silver would have the enjoyable task of feeding them, bit by bit, to his reptilian killing machine. Suddenly, Gold shoved him into Brutus' claws. Wrapping his arms around Silver, Brutus rushed the Rockets, who could not avoid the coming beast.

Athena Focus:

She tried to get Apollo out of the monster's path. In part, she succeeded, but they were whapped by the tail. She began to rise, but the creature's huge jaws closed around her legs, from above the knee to below the foot. It crunched down three times, then the lizard whipped her into the air, swinging her around. Athena had the vauge feeling of flying, before the Feraligatr released her, and she flew into the glass, smashing her head against the panes. Athena could hear Apollo screaming, and gunshots. The monster howled, and went through the glass, holding Giovanni's son, towards the street below. She couldn't get up. Her legs weren't working. She tried to keep her eyes open, but darkness took her.

Apollo Focus:

Athena wasn't moving. He felt a pang, but ignored the loss of something he couldn't recognize. An awful pain was quickly filling him, and he didn't know what to do. For the first time ever, he had no idea, no plan. He saw the boy, a black-haired youth with a backwards cap. He pointed a gun at him, and fired three times. The boy fell out the ruined window, but his hand must have caught, as Apollo could hear dying breaths.

Apollo Focus:

"Apollo..." said a weak voice. He rushed over, and found Athena, broken but unbowed before a cruel world. She stared up at him. Apollo could make no attempt to save her. If she made another minute without fatal blood loss, he would be amazed. But maybe he could fix something immaterial. Slowly picking her up, trying to ignore the weightlessness that came when a body lost eighty percent of its lower half, Apollo carried her over to the broken window. She tried to speak, but it was likely blood had filled her lungs already. Instead, he kissed her fully on the mouth. Ceasing, he looked at her. She appeared better then than at any other part of their time together. Apollo looked down, and saw the boy.

Gold Focus:

There were holes in his body. Literally, nine-millimeter circles, one through his chest, one through his lung, and one through his heart. On a reflex, he jammed his hand down on a standing shard of glass, driving it through his hand, but securing him to the tower. It was cold, and getting colder, but not from wind, or rain. A hand reached down, and pushed his chin up. Someone stared down at him. "Apollo." Gold coughed, unable to see. "At your service." said a voice. Gold reached up, and handed the man a Poke Ball. "This is... for... my friend." he wheezed, then his head fell back, the eyes unseeing, the ears unhearing, the mouth unmoving. The glass shard cracked, and Gold's body fell from the tower.

Apollo Focus:

Apollo and Athena stared at the Poke Ball. Apollo opened it. Empty. Looking up in revelation, the Meganium held them together with its vines, then fired a Solarbeam into the night sky. The two peered out at the city below. Apollo saw her first. Nova, standing on the roof of the GTS, with her mouth open. Ignoring the fact, Apollo shot the Meganium in the forehead. It released them, and slumped to the floor. The man looked around at his ruined world, from the destroyed office to the fast-fading woman in his arms. A second later, the Rocket Executives no longer existed. Just two people, whose lives had been, in their own ways, cruel, horrific jokes that had gone on for far too long. Eyeing the rising sun, he turned to his soul mate."Are you ready?" asked Archer. "Always." answered Ariana.

Ariana Focus:

Kissing just as an inferno launched from the center of Nova's being engulfed the whole tower, her last thought was that the fire between they two was far hotter than any that whirled around them.


End file.
